Wolfmane Chronicles
by RestlessMind80
Summary: The story of a Naola Wolfmane; a Nordic barbarian and her quest for vengeance against the clan that destroyed her village so long ago; The Silver Hand clan. This is the first part of a series. Rated M for violence and some sexual content that will be in future stories. (I have also fixed the chapters to show up correctly)
1. Chapter 1

**Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim**

Wolfmane Chronicles

As flames arise all around, the air is filled with the sounds of screams and howls. Arrows pierce the night air striking a fleeing villager in the back, killing him upon impact. Other villagers run for their lives while some make a stand to fight their attackers. Members of the Silver Hand charge into the village in full force. Their numbers are large as the few villagers standing their ground against them begin to change shape; growing larger in size as they turn into werewolves. The Silver Hand clashes with the villagers before they are able to fully transform. Not all make it to their full werewolf form and are cut down as steel tears through flesh. The only defense in the village is made short work of. Those who did reach full beast form and instantly beheaded before they can do any real fighting.

The villagers who fled the village are met by other Silver Hand forces outside and are attacked. Men, women, and children and slain like animals as the Silver Hand slaughters the remaining villagers they find. Very few escape the horrific fate of death, using the wilds for cover as their attackers lose sight of them in the mayhem. One of the small few of escaped villagers is a young girl, no older than four. As the night goes on, the surviving villagers are left with no choice, but to remain still and hidden as they watch helpless while the Silver Hand help themselves to the spoils of their attack on the village. Remaining villagers; mostly women are raped countless times before slain. The screams and cries of the victims echo through the night as the horrific actions continue until dawn.

Once the Silver Hand leaves the now destroyed village, the remaining villagers take their leave of the place they once called home and head out to a new place to stay. The harshness of Skyrim takes its toll on the surviving villagers as their numbers slim down even fewer as the wilderness, cold, and bandit attacks claim the lives of more villagers. Years pass as the now nomad tribe has made their home in the cold mountains of Skyrim. As time passes by, the little girl; now filled with anger, is determined to get back at all those who have taken so much from them. She trains herself constantly day after day. Aging from child to adult as time goes on, she masters her use of bows and heavy two-handed weapons. She becomes one of the fiercest warriors, barbarians in the tribe. Despite the years since the Silver Hand's vicious attack on the village she once called home, time has not allowed her to forget that horrific night, and the hatred in her heart for them has only fueled her in the battles she won against bandits who sought to take away what little she has left. Now the time has come and she is ready to enact revenge upon those who destroyed her home village so many years ago.

The now young Nordic woman is moments away from leaving her tribe to start her own adventure of vengeance when the tribe leader approaches her in her tent.

"Naola, you mustn't do this, child. Time heals over old wounds. Surely time has healed over yours."

The blonde haired barbarian woman covers herself up in a large bear hide before turning to look at the large older Nordic warrior; his face covered mostly by his brown and gray bushy beard and long hair, slightly hiding the many scars battles have left on him. Naola takes a long look at him before responding;

"You of all should know the Gods expect us to take action, not cower in corners and left our enemies destroy our homes. Talos would not allow it, as Nords, we should not allow it."

A heavy sigh comes over the tribe leaders as his words fail to reach Naola, but he leaves her with one last set of wise words to keep in mind;

"Nords are strong and fierce, a force to be reckoned with. Keep in mind child; that goes for all Nords, not just you, not just us here."

Naola grabs her hunter's bow and arrows, steel great sword, and walks towards the tribe leader. As she makes her way to his side, she stops and continues to look ahead as she says to him;

"Then I must be stronger, fiercer, and an even greater force to be reckoned with. The Silver Hand will fall to my arrows and be cut down by my blade."

Before she can walk out the tent, the tribe leader grabs her by the arm. Naola looks back at him;

"And what if fate has other plans for you? What if vengeance isn't what the Gods have intended for you?"

Naola is quick to respond back;

"Then the Gods will have to wait their turn before I follow their intent. Talos would understand and Talos shall guide me blade into every last sworn Silver Hand until all have been reunited in the depths of Oblivion."

Naola moves in close, inches from her tribe leader's face;

"And that is the fate I have decided for me. No man or God shall change me from the path I have chosen."

She then jerks her arm out of his grasp and walks out of the tent. As she makes her way out of the camp she has called home for years, members of the tribe watch on as Naola walks her way through and into the cold wilderness as a snow storm begins to make its way through. One of the tribe members attempts to catch up to Naola, but is stopped when the tribe leader places a hand on their shoulder. The tribe member looks back at him as the leader shakes his head before saying;

"She is no longer a member of this tribe. Her rage and hatred have made her into something different, something none of us are capable of handling. Blood and death are her only company, vengeance is her desired weapon. Leave her be now, let me make her own path in life."

Naola makes her way through the harsh coldness of the snow storm. The tempature drops down to devastating levels, for a lesser man this would've brought them to death, but for her this was nothing. Her Nordic blood aides her well in the cold's torment as she makes her way down the mountain. Halfway down Naola hears a faint sound in the distance, but can barely make out what it is. The sound gets louder and louder and before she realizes what it is, it's too late as a powerful strike across the face sends her tumbling down the mountain side a great distance. All the while, the sound of her vicious attacker is heard as it follows close behind her. Through the fast paced rolling down the snowy mountain she catches glimpses of the beastly attacker, its white fur, muscular build, and ferrous growls; a snow troll.

Naola ceases her rolling and gets to her feet before the snow troll makes its way to her. Just as the snow troll is about to attack, she quickly moves out the way to avoid the attack. The snow troll's attack leaves a small indention in the snow where Naola was standing. Reaching to her back, she grabs her great sword and makes her stand against the snow troll. The waves his arms up, indicating that it is ready to kill her and runs towards her with a loud ferrous roar that would scare a lesser warrior into submission. Naola charges at the snow troll before making a swing with her steel great sword. The attack hits the snow troll, but only in his forearm as it blocked the attack from hitting its head. The blade is half way in the arm, but stuck as the snow troll wastes no time waling at the Nordic barbarian. Her hands never let go of the great sword as she drops to her knees in pain from the mighty blows from the beast. Knowing that her journey may end before it even begins, she thinks quickly. Reaching to her quiver of arrows, she grabs one before standing back up, and stabs it into the top middle eye of the snow troll. The beast is met with tremendous amounts of pain as Naola manages to pull her sword out of the snow trolls arm.

Regaining her footing, she watches as the snow troll's forearm heals before her eyes while it yanks the arrow out of its eye and tosses it aside with the eye stuck on the arrow. Naola charges the beast head on with her sword in hand. She leaps into the air and cuts down on the snow, her blade; buried in the snow troll's forehead does little to slow him down as he swings powerful strike after strike at Naola. The strikes cause her to stumble back with her sword still in hand. Before she can regain her footing the snow troll tackles her, knocking them both further down the snow filled mountain side. The two tumble down the mountain and eventually roll off a rocky edge that sends them falling fifteen feet. Crashing down on the hard rocky ground; Naola is stricken with pain as her attacker gets to its feet with ease. The snow troll looks at Naola and makes its way to her. Naola can't help but think back at the helpless villagers of her old home as they were slaughtered and victimized by the Silver Hand. Hatred soon overcomes her and she grabs her great sword next to her and moves out the way before the snow troll stomps down where she was. To her feet she lets out a fearsome battle cry; so loud, so terrifying, that even the snow troll for an instant ceased all action. An instant was all that was needed as she makes an underway swing with her great sword; tearing into the snow troll from the groin up, until the beast it cut in two. Falling apart; Naola is covered in the blood of her fallen foe as it splits and splatters its remains on once white rocking surface. Knowing her battle is won, she sheaves her sword and struggles to continue on her journey, now hurt and broken due to the fight. She covers little ground before she faints from the pain.

Not too far from where Naola is unconscious; a fight between soldiers of the Empire and Stormcloak rebels erupts. The battle is short lived as the rebels find themselves out numbered, they are forced to surrender. As the legion gathers up the rebels, a passerby on horse is also picked off and captured. Upon searching the area a soldier stumbles upon Naola lying on the ground. Calling for assistance, they capture her as well. Placing the prisoners in the wagon the soldiers make a trip to Helgen to deal with the captured prisoners accordingly.


	2. Chapter 2

II

Hours later on the rocky trail to Helgen, Naola awakens on the back of a wagon. Her hands bound and fur armor and weapons replaced with tattered rags. Realizing she has been captured, she looks around to find that she isn't the only one taken against their will. She finds herself in the company of Stormcloak rebels that were captured by the Imperials. Everyone remains silent as the rocky wagon makes its way down the trail. The ride is long and quiet, no one speaks a word. Naola can feel it in her very soul that this trip is meant to be one way for her and her fellow riders. Determined not to let it end here, she looks all around her for a possible way out. Unfortunately the prisoner caravan is well guarded with Imperial guards riding horses around the wagon. Suddenly she hears in the distance a voice of a man overcome with fear;

"Where are they taking us? You have to tell them we weren't with you."

Naola then looks to see that their wagon isn't the only one full of prisoners and heading to Helgen. She then works diligently to device an escape plan, but is interrupted by a Stormcloak rebel;

"There's no use sister of Skyrim, our fate is sealed."

Naola turns to look at the young female Stormcloak member, her dark brown hair covering her face as her head hangs low;

"I have been trying to figure a way out since they captured us. It's no use."

She whispers to Naola so not to catch the attention of the guards. Naola is only filled with irritation at the sounds of the Nordic girl's surrender to fate;

"Coward."

She whispers back to the girl, instantly the girl lifts her head at the sudden response from her. She says nothing in return. Only slowly lowers her head back down in shame. One of the other prisoners then speaks up on the girl's behalf;

"Cannot blame her for giving up. It's apparent that our ends will soon be met."

Naola turns her attention to the other Stormcloak;

"You wish to give up and put your tail between your legs and cower, do so. I have plans that differ from this fate. I will not be dying here this day."

"Stormcloaks could use someone with your heart."

"Between the whimpering of this pup here and the crying in the other wagon behind us. I would agree that you Stormcloaks could use a lot of warriors and fewer children, but the struggles of Skyrim mean little if not nothing to me."

"How could you say that!? Skyrim is your home. She bleeds for you, why not fight for her?"

The Stormcloak accidentally says out loud. The loud speech starts a small rally with the other Stormcloaks, catching the attention of the guards round the wagon. While the guards attempt to control the situation, Naola sees her only chance to escape and jumps off the wagon during the fiasco. Only one of the guards notices her escape and instantly rides after her. Quick to her feet she runs into the woods, hoping to use the trees and bushes for cover. Unfortunately the horseman is close behind her as she enters the woods. Before he can trample her she jumps to the left, dodging the stampede. Due to their surroundings; the Imperial guard must make his way around trees before turning around to get Naola. She takes this time to make an effort at breaking her binds to her wrists, scraping them on the nearby tree. Suddenly and arrow barely misses her head as it hits the tree, she looks to its source and sees the guard off his horse preparing to fire another arrow. When the guard goes to aim for the shot Naola is gone without a trace. Looking around for her he puts his bow and arrow back and pulls out his Imperial one-handed sword. As he does so, Naola comes at the guard from the right and head-butts him in the rib. The attack catches the guard off guard and knocks the wind out of his lungs, but also due to his light armor; Naola's actions do not go without consequence. The head-butt causes little dizziness as she struggles to stand on her feet and alert. The guard quickly gets up and swings his sword at Naola steps back to avoid the attack. As he pulls his arm back from swinging his sword, Naola head-butts the guard again in the face, causing them both to stagger a bit. Naola comes to faster than the guard and runs at him head-butting him one more time in the face, shattering his nose. The blow leaves the guard in a lot of pain as he drops his sword to place his hands over his shattered nose. To add to the guard's dismay; Naola makes a final attack, using all her might to kick the guard in the groin; dropping the guard upon impact.

Victorious; Naola sits down with the fallen sword before her and struggles to cut her bindings. Once freed, she gets to her feet and takes the sword, walking away from the fallen guard.

"Where…where do you…think you're going…to go…whore of…Skyrim?"

The out of breath insult stops Naola in her tracks, turning her head to look back at guard as he struggles to stay on his knees. Blood dripping from his face; covering the leaves beneath him as he continues to speak;

"Skyrim is under…Imperial law…and you…you...Storm…"

Far more interested in other affairs, Naola approaches the hurting guard. She interrupts him;

"You made the mistake of thinking I was involved in your petty civil war for Skyrim. I could care less what the Imperial or these Stormcloaks do with Skyrim. My purpose is to avenge my fallen and lay waste to the Silver Hand."

"The…Silver…Hand?"

The guard leans his back against a nearby as he makes a blood choking laugh. He then turns his head to spit out some blood;

"They'll make short work…of a whore-"

The insult is cut short as blood begins to flow out of his mouth; Naola stabs the guard in the stomach with the sword. She leans into the guard's face;

"You also made the mistake that I would stand by and let you insult my name with such a title a second time."

The guard is unable to say anything as he chokes on his own blood. Before the guard dies she loots him of his belongings, including the sword she used to stab him. Removing it from his stomach, she walks away leaving him for dead as he takes his last blood choked breath. As she makes her way through the woods a ferrous roar is heard from the sky as a large shadow covers her for seconds before disappearing. Unable to see through the trees to spot the creature she debates on rather or not to follow and see what it was. The creature lets out another airborne roar that then takes the attention of Naola as she now can't help but see what manner of creature is it.

Meanwhile in Helgen; chaos has struck the village as the creature; a dragon has attacked. Imperial soldiers take action against the dragon with little change of victory as Stormcloak rebels take the opportunity to escape their captors. Naola arrives in the distance to see the events unfold before her. She realizes that the creature she heard is a dragon, but also that this situation is in no connection to her goal and begins to leave when she notices the young girl from the wagon earlier. The girl is chased down by a small group of guards trying to recapture the escaped prisoners. Naola hesitates to help since this has nothing to do with her goals, but the conflict brings back flashes of how her village was destroyed by the Silver Hand.

Naola then takes her newfound bow and arrow, takes aim, and fires an arrow hitting one of the Imperial guards in the back, through the chest. The shot kills him instantly while another shot hits a guard in the neck, while the other two guards continue their pursuit of the young Stormcloak member. The chase eventually makes its way out of her sight. The girl runs for her life knowing that if she gives up now, she will die for sure. As she makes her way around a wall, she sees her exit up ahead when she spots other members of the rebel forces making their way out. Before she can catch up to them, she is punched by an Imperial guard she overlooked. Knocked to the ground, the young girl is quickly surrounded by guards. As two of them pick her up, the other guard looks around. Realizing that they are in more danger out in the open, he leads them to a nearby building. The guards head inside before Naola makes her way down to where they last were. Inside; the guards drags the young girl down stairs as she kicks and screams. Irritated by her poor efforts to escape them, one of the guards punches her in the stomach, knocking the air out of her lungs.

"That should shut her up."

"What is this place?"

One of the guards asks as they make their way to the bottom floor. One guard answers as they drag the girl to a table and lay her out;

"Torture chamber. Usually use this place to get information on hidden Stormcloak forts, but I figured we'd be safe from the dragon attacks down here. Also doesn't hurt to that we have something to take our minds off the situation before us."

The guards then roll the girl over on her stomach and begin to tie her to the table, leaving her bottom half to hang from the end of the table. The young girl begins to awaken as one of the guards begins to undress the bottom half of her Stormcloak uniform;

"What's…going on?"

"Nothing, just having a little fun, wench."

Once she feels the draft between her legs, she realizes what's happening and then franticly struggles to break free with no success. One of the guards grabs a handful of her hair and pulls her head up;

"Stop moving and maybe we might consider letting you live, but if you keep this up we won't hesitate to kill you here and now."

Terrified, the young girl stops moving. She struggles to take her mind off the guards and the impending violation to come, but no matter where her mind wonders, it brings her back to the events at hand. As the first guard makes his way to her behind, he pulls up his cloth from his groin area, and grips his erected penis as he approaches closer. She can feel the tip of him touch her in places no man has ever touched she can't help but start to cry. The assault is cut short when the sound of a door opening and closing interrupts the moment. Angered by the intrusion; the guard yells to the bystanders;

"See who in Oblivion that is!"

The guards get to their feet, grab their swords, and take off to the stairs. Instantly the sound of steel clashing echoes the room. Before the guard can fully adjust himself and grab his sword, he is stopped in his tracks. Confused and scared, the girl remains still until she hears a familiar voice;

"Are you okay pup?"

"Uh…"

Not clear what to say she soon bursts into tears. She is suddenly cut free and quickly runs to the nearest wall pulling up her pants before looking at her surroundings. She sees the woman from the wagon who escaped with a sword at her victimizer's throat. Looking at the woman, the young girl notices she is covered in blood. No time to say anything Naola asks her;

"Are you okay pup?"

"Yes…yes…I think…"

"That'll have to do."

Naola then pulls out the guard's sword from its sheath and tosses it near the young girl. Confused and startled by the action she curls up against the corner of the wall avoiding the sword. Naola looks at her;

"He almost dishonored you. Many others would wish to be in the position I have placed you in. Surely you wish to repay this filth for his actions against you."

Startled by everything that has just happened; the young girl can only look up at Naola with tearful eyes. Looking into the devastated hazel eyes of the girl, Naola sees that she is in no shape to do anything. The guard turns his head to look at her and gives a heartless smirk;

"Obviously I picked well. Shame we didn't have more time to know each other."

Naola then knees the guard in the groin, knocking him to the ground. She then approaches the girl and grabs her by the wrist;

"Perhaps now isn't the time, but someday you'll have to grab a weapon and fight for you own life or be destined to be the victim of others."

As she picks the girl up, the guard gets to his feet and grabs a dagger off the ground. Before Naola can turn to react the guard stabs her in the lower side. Without thinking, the girl grabs sword off the floor and gets up; stabbing the guard in the chest. As he falls to the ground, he covers the floor around him in his own blood; dying instantly. Hurt, but not dying; Naola uses the wall to help herself get up. Getting to her feet she notices something; the roaring has stopped. Realizing that it means the dragon has left, she also knows that it means the Imperial guards will eventually arrive and kill them for the deaths of the guards. Though her injury is nothing compared to injuries she has endured in the past, she is still no match for a large group of well-trained soldiers. Naola grabs the girl and they escape down the hall and stairs. They make their way to an underground creek and take the nearby tunnel out. The tunnel leads to a lake far away from Helgen and away from the Imperials. Naola and the girl take the time to catch their breath and rest for a moment. The girl notices Naola's wound and attempts to look at it, but Naola slaps the girl out of the way;

"Leave it be pup! Your assistance isn't needed nor wanted!"

"I…I just wanted to help. You're bleeding."

The girl says. Naola looks down at the wound, and then tears a piece of cloth from the ragged shirt she's wearing. Wrapping it around the wound tightly she turns and looks back at the girl;

"What is a pup like you doing in the midst of a civil war? Surely you don't believe you're of any use to these Stormcloaks, do you?"

The girl sits up looking at Naola and answers;

"Ulfric Stormcloak says he needs every able body for his cause and I believe in his cause."

"Well from what I have witnessed of you so far. Unless he needs a young wench to reward some of his able men for good work, you pup, are of no use to him in this war against the Imperials."

Naola says without any hesitation to the girl's feelings. The girl looks down with shame in her eyes;

"You're right. Maybe I am of no use to the Stormcloaks, but what else am I to do?"

Naola looks down at the girl as she keeps talking;

"My father was a proud follower of Talos. Even with the empire giving in to the Thalmor, he still stood by the man turned god; Talos. He spoke of him proudly and when word got out of the elves were taking away Talos worshippers, my father stood his ground. Then one day when I wake up…he's gone…just like that."

Naola listens to the girl's story and although a part of her is concerned, she remains unfazed by what she is told;

"Crying won't undo what fate has done to your father. Nor will lack of training and being a whore to those who overpower you. You either fight or die well and what you displayed today was neither."

"But I don't know how to fight."

"Then you learn how to fight!"

Naola yells to the girl. Startled at first; the girl sits still and says nothing. Naola looks down at her with shame in her eyes over what she sees and walks away. The girl watches as Naola passes by her before reacting;

"Please, please train me."

"Your fate is not with mine. You are not my responsibility."

Naola says as she continues walking. The girl gets to her feet and continues her plea with Naola;

"Then can I travel with you? I need to learn to fight. I want to avenge my father."

Naola continues walking; ignoring everything the girl says, until;

"**I WANT TO KILL THE THALMOR!**"

The girl yells at the top of her lungs in anger. The words hit Naola hard as they sound very familiar to her;

"I want to kill the Silver Hand! I want to kill every last one of them!"

The words of a little girl who has lost everyone she held dear. Naola looks back at the girl and says nothing. The girl looks at Naola and takes the pause as an invitation and catches up with her. The two walk off into the high grassy plains, the girl finally introduces herself;

"My name is Adriana Stone…"

Before she can finish Naola stops in her tracks catching Adriana off guard as she responds in a harsh tone;

"Until the day comes that you prove your worth to me, I will only refer to you as a 'pup' and not anything else."

Adriana simply nods her head in acceptance and the two continue on their journey. Despite the harshness of Naola, Adriana knows it is something she will need to survive in Skyrim especially in these times.


	3. Chapter 3

III

Hours have passed since Naola and Adriana escaped Helgen and made it into the open wilderness of Skyrim. The sun begins to set as night is shortly behind it and the cold chill follows with it. The two wonder aimlessly until Naola notices a campfire in the distance. Needing a warm place, Naola and Adriana approach the campfire. In her own personal adventures in the past; Naola has found the value in fellow travelers, but no such kindred spirit is found this day as she walks in on looting bandits. Two bandits are looting the wagon of a traveling merchant they killed on the way to a nearby town. As Naola and Adriana walk in on the act, the two bandits spot them right away. One of the bandits; an orc, grabs his battle axe while another one; female Breton, grabs a sword in one hand as her free hand lights up on fire.

"Halt right there traveler. Give us your loot and we might let you live."

The Orc says as he approaches the two. Naola puts her free hand out to signal for Adriana to stay behind her as she pulls out her sword. The two take steps back as the two bandits continue on their way to them.

"Where do you think you're going? Give us your loot willingly or we can take it from your corpses, choice is up to you."

Naola continues pulling back as the Orc and Breton move forward. Eventually Naola begins to move slower as the Orc gets closer to them as the Breton stays back. Naola watches them both carefully before she sees her chance to attack. Losing his patience for the two; the Orc charges at them with his battle axe in the air ready to cut them down. As the Orc brings his axe down, Naola grabs Adriana by the wrist and swings her across before the Orc's axe hits the ground. The Orc is now between Naola and Adriana, before the Orc can pick back up his axe, Naola uses her sword in hand and stabs the Orc in the neck. Dropping to the ground; the Orc dies and Naola takes the battle axe as her own, but just as she grabs the new weapon a stream of fire comes her way. Dodging the flames just in time. Adriana sees everything, but just as she attempts to move the Breton spots her and casts flames at her. Adriana gets to her feet and starts to run from the Breton woman. The Breton continues casting flame at Adriana as she runs for her life, but as she is busy chasing the girl she pays little mind on the bigger threat. Naola charges the Breton from behind, the battle cry she hears behind her startles her and before she can react to the incoming attack, Naola swings her battle axe; cutting off the head of the flame caster. Adriana soon notices that the fire has stopped and that Naola is standing alone. Returning to the camp she sees the headless corpse of the Breton and the dead Orc;

"You killed them both?"

"You sound surprised by this. As I have said; you either fight well or die well. Since you're still a pup you can drag these bodies away from the camp."

A little worried as it gets dark Adriana can't help but ask;

"What of the wolves?"

"That is exactly why you're moving the bodies away from the camp. Unless being a victim of nature is a goal of yours, you will do as told and not ask questions of it."

Naola comments as she loots the bodies. She doesn't find much off the bodies as she then pulls her bow off her back and prepares to head into the wilderness. Still a bit fearful of what could happen to her, she only watches Naola prepare for hunting. Hesitating; Adriana grabs the Orc's body and attempts to drag it out of the campsite. Naola watches her as she drags the body away and then leaves to go hunting. Adriana moves the first body without incident, but the heavy Orc leaves her exhausted. She then plops down next to the body and tries to rest up. She relaxes until the sound of howling wolves remind her of the possible danger she could be in. Adriana then runs back to the campsite. Upon her return, Naola has already returned with her slain prey; an elk. Adriana takes a seat next to the campfire while Naola cuts the meat from the carcass. Naola Looks back and sees Adriana has returned, she then turns back to finish cutting out the meat when she says;

"You work for your food."

"I understand, I dragged the body far from here just as you asked."

"And what of that one there?"

Adriana then remembers the headless Breton and then looks out in the darkness;

"Choice is yours pup; you can do your part or starve."

With Naola's remark, Adriana gets back up and grabs the body and head and struggles to drag the body from the campsite. After reaching a good distance, Adriana drops the body and starts to head back. After walking a few feet she is stopped by the sound of nearby growling. Standing still with fear, she slowly turns her eyes to look around and spots in the short distance a single black wolf staring her down. Its mouth stained with blood from the bandit body she moved away earlier. The fear of death keeps Adriana still and overcome with fear until she hears a voice;

"Seems death is determined to keep you from the fate you want."

Although she knows it is Naola speaking to her, she doesn't take her eyes off the beast before her. In the distance behind the wolf; Naola stands with her battle axe on her back and the one-handed sword in her hand. She doesn't move, she simply watches the scene unfold;

"The longer you look him in the eyes the more you're telling him you accept his challenge."

Adriana slowly looks towards Naola for help, but her intention is not to kill the wolf for her as she tosses the sword close to Adriana's feet. Trembling with fear as she looks at the sword and hears the wolf growling even more so than before, she looks back with tears in her eyes; fearing what the wolf would do to her. Naola remains still and calm as she watches both the wolf and Adriana. Snarling mad; the wolf slowly approaches Adriana as it prepares to attack her. She looks down at the sword by her feet and back at the wolf, she looks back down at the sword. Suddenly as she looks back at the sword, the wolf begins growling and barking before he leaps at her. With death jumping at her; Adriana quickly moves to grab the sword. With the blade in hand, Adriana swings franticly to defend herself, but in the second she hits the beast the impact of blade touching flesh startles her and she accidentally drops her sword. The mistake comes at a price as the wolf lands on her; dropping her on her back. Her struggle against death has just begun.

Trying her best to hold the beast at bay so not to kill her; Adriana tries to reach for the sword, but is unable to take both hands off the wolf's neck. Adriana looks around as she sees Naola still watching her and the wolf. She begins to cry for help, but Naola doesn't move; she just watches the event at hand carefully.

"Revenge isn't something that cleanses you. It is something that becomes you. It covers you in its coldness and turns you into something else, something different. You want revenge? Then you must shed this innocence you have held on to. Take your scars. Let them be your reminder that your fate outweighed the fate others have had planned for you. Prove that your purpose is greater."

Naola preaches to Adriana as she struggles to handle the situation before her. She takes one hand off the wolf's neck, but as she does the wolf nearly bites her face and she is forced to place her other hand back on its neck to hold it at bay. The wolf only gets stronger while Adriana gets weaker in the struggle for her life. Realizing that Naola is not going to help, Adriana is forced think quickly or die. She attempts to reach out to the sword again and once more the wolf's sharp fangs make their way to her head, but as they do Adriana blocks the snapping attack of the wolf with her forearm. The sharp agonizing pain of the wolf's teeth ripping into the flesh of her arm spark realism of the situation; either the wolf dies or she does. Doing her best to ignore the pain; Adriana struggles even more so to reach the sword.

As if the beast itself understood what Adriana was trying to do, it begins to overpower her and drag her away from the sword. Her efforts begin to feel lost as the wolf drags her further away from the sword.

"Giving up? Honoring your father means nothing to you? Making right the wrong that was done to him ends without effort? Your death will not only shame you, but it will shame him. You'll shame him in the presence of Talos!"

Naola's words finally reach out to Adriana in a way she has needed for a long time. Often she has quit with little effort, given in to her attackers and depended on others to defend her. Now she must overcome her own odds; triumph or fail, to fight well or die well. With newfound strength; Adriana struggles to pull back against the wolf, but finds herself still overpowered. Sparing no time to think of anything else, but survival; Adriana kicks at the wolf. Kicking over and over again until the beast can take no more and let go. Free from her beastly opponent, she makes her way to her sword and grabs it as the wolf recovers and chases after her. Once again on top of her; the wolf makes another attack at her face and Adriana blocks with her forearm once more. The fresh wound on top of the old is overwhelming as her own blood hits her in the face. The wolf's teeth go in deeper into the arm causing her to scream out in pain, but as she screams out, she stabs the wolf in the side. The wolf bites down even harder; its fangs hitting the very bone of her arm. As her pain becomes greater, so do her stabs. She attacks relentlessly as the wolf eventually lets go and dies. With her first victory at hand; Adriana gets to her feet, but dazed from the fight and pain of her injury she soon falls back on the ground.

Naola walks over to her and picks her up; putting her over her shoulder and walks away from the scene. She pats the injured and exhausted Adriana on the back as she carries her back to camp. Adriana spends her last bit of strength to ask a single question;

"Where were…the others?"

"Where were the other what, pup?"

"Wolves? Don't they…travel in packs?"

"Usually they do, perhaps he was just a lone wolf."

Naola answers as they walk away. Unknowing to the young girl that she was more protected than she thought while in the short distance from where her struggle began and ended; three other wolves lie slain.

Elsewhere hundreds of miles from Naola and Adriana's campsite; a man in steel heavy armor rides horse back towards a cave in the snowy mountains. Once he makes his way to the entrance he gets off his horse and enters the cave. Inside he walks past other warriors, making his way through the cave until he reaches an iron door; guarded by two warriors in the same steel heavy armor with sword and shield;

"I need to speak with the Jharl, immediately."

The visiting warrior says to the guards. Without hesitation, the guards open the door and let the warrior in. Entering the room, it looks nothing like the rest of the cave. The room is decorated with the heads of wolves and werewolves. Throughout the room weapons hang on the walls and in the center of it all is a large table with food and mead. Ahead towards the back of the room is a large built man in ebony heavy plate armor; his right forearm and hand wears a bright stainless silver gauntlet. He sits on his throne speaking with his housecarl; an Orc warrior, when the warrior's arrival interrupts the personal conversation. Noticing his new visitor; he slowly waves his hand in signal for his housecarl to leave the room, he walks by the other warrior and stares him down for a moment before walking out the room. A moment later his counselor; a pale skinned black haired Breton walks out the Jharl's personal chambers dressing herself in her red robes to cover her naked body. She then walks to the Jharl as the warrior kneels on his knee before him. Closer look; the Jharl's armor is ebony, but his helm is that of a large werewolf head. The Breton woman leans seductively against the Jharl before the Jharl finally acknowledges the visitor;

"What do I owe this sudden visit?"

"It's about the members in Gallows Rock. It seems they are waging-"

"War with the Companions? Yes, I am well aware of this. Surely you did not travel all the way here just to inform me of this."

The Jharl interrupts with little concern of the information brought to him. The Breton counselor walks from the Jharl to the warrior and seductively leans against him before speaking;

"You disappoint us Baruk. I remember the songs of Berserker Baruk, The Wolf Eater."

Baruk looks at the Breton woman with irritation and remarks;

"As I have in the past overheard the 'songs' of Dalal echo through the bedrooms and inns of Skyrim. Now if you would excuse me, I need to speak with Jharl Silver Hand. Perhaps if the conversation were in need of a more missionary point of view, then you would definitely be needed here."

Unfazed by the harsh rudeness of Baruk's insults, Dalal walks away into another room. Baruk watches her closely until she is gone;

"Now Baruk, why should I concern myself with what Krev the Skinner chooses to devote his efforts towards?"

The Jharl asks. Baruk looks back at the Jharl and continues his concern;

"We have always been ones to fight and slaughter all those with the blood of the wolf, but he intends to take this fight into Whiterun."

"And?"

"I do not think we should take our fight with the Companions so lightly. I have suggested that we plan a means of attack, but despite my opinion; Krev has been sending groups into random battles with Companion members."

Jharl growing bored with what Baruk is telling him, he finds himself asking yet again;

"And?"

Irritable with the Jharl's lack of concern, his temper gets the better of him;

"And if he doesn't watch his actions against them, he will bring the end of our clan!"

The Jharl locks stares with Baruk for a moment. The two remain silent as the tension between them thickens before the Jharl finally speaks;

"I doubt I have to remind you who leads the Silver Hand clans of Skyrim. Every member here is sworn to obey me and follow the cause. We sought out and slay all those with the blood of the wolf. None are exception to this fate. Rather they be man, woman, or child. Peasant, bandit, or even the legendary Companions."

"I understand Jharl Silver Hand, but Krev will cost us men and women if he continues to lead the Silver Hand in Gallows Rock."

"I gave Krev leadership of the location because I saw promise in him. I will not take back my decision and I will not stand by and be questioned about my actions. If you truly wish to debate with me then grab your weapon and challenge my rule!"

The Jharl responds hostilely as he stands up from his throne. Baruk realizes that his concerns have gone unnoticed and his presence is no longer welcomed for the time being. With no other choice Baruk nods his head and takes his leave. Once he leaves the room, Dalal enters back and speaks with the Jharl;

"I'm assuming Krev has been acting against the Companions on your personal orders, yes?"

"The Silver Hand is a weapon, a weapon I use as I see fit. For hundreds of years the Companions have been spoken of as warriors of legend. Now they are nothing more than a pack or stray dogs with no master to beat obedience into them. Soon that day will come to an end and they will be no more. When that time comes the Silver Hand will bring forth the beginning of a new era of warriors."

Jharl responds. Baruk rides back to Gallows Rock angered at the unsuccessful conversation with Jharl Silver Hand. He thinks to himself along his travel;

"Why is he letting Krev do this petty war with the Companions without more warriors? Surely he knows Krev will be the death of our clan at this rate."

Baruk rides off into the night. Back with Naola and Adriana; the injuries sustained from the fight leave Adriana in a sickening cold chill. Naola looks over to her for a moment before putting out the fire and covering the young girl in her blanket of fur obtained from what the dead merchant left behind. The rest of the night is uneventful.


End file.
